Get Into the Race

"There may be fewer candidates appearing for CAT this year, but the test is getting a tad difficult for the IIM-B aspirants"

Ahead of the second edition of the online Common Admission Test (CAT) starting on Wednesday, the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore (IIM-B) has released the admission policy for the class of 2011-13. Traditionally, the cut-off has been increasing every year.

• The minimum cut-offs for the 2011 batch will be based on the CAT 2010 scores and the first shortlist will be drawn up based on candidate's performance in CAT.
  
  
• The sectional cut-offs for candidates under different categories jumped for the current batch (2010-12). While minimum percentile requirement in quantitative section was 70% for the general category for the 2009 batch, it went up to 80% for the current batch. Sectional cut-offs for candidates under Other Backward Classes (OBC) also went up from 60% to 70% in quantitative section and 75% to 80% for verbal section. There was, however, no change in the aggregate cut-offs. The aggregate cut-off was 60% for differently abled candidates while it was 90% under general category.
  
  
• Overall, CAT score will have a weightage of 20, while it will be 15 and 10 for class 10 and 12 scores, respectively. Candidates' performance in the bachelors programme will carry weightage of 15 and personal interview (PI) will carry 20 points.
  
  
• During the interview process, candidates will have to write a single-page note on a topic given by the B-school within the allotted time of 30 minutes.
  
  
• Two interviewers will evaluate candidates' performance on the note and personal interview. For candidates with work experience, each interviewing faculty will evaluate the quality and relevance of a candidate's work experience. "These scores, in combination with the pre-PI selection parameters, will be used cumulatively in the second and final phase of selection to identify the candidates who will merit selection from among those candidates who appear for the personal interview," the policy states.